


The Post-Slightly-Twisted-Ankle Hospital Visit - Robert and Rebecca (25th July 2017) (canon compliant)

by BoleynC



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: I hate this sl so much, I like them as friends, M/M, Other, but there we go, we could have had it ALLLLL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 11:32:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11622651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoleynC/pseuds/BoleynC
Summary: Rebecca takes a drunk and dramatic Robert to the hospital to get his ankle checked out. Canon compliant.





	The Post-Slightly-Twisted-Ankle Hospital Visit - Robert and Rebecca (25th July 2017) (canon compliant)

Robert doesn’t say a word in the car. He sits with his head slumped mournfully against the window, the image of self-pity. His lower lip is wobbling but no tears are falling. Rebecca can’t help but think he resembles a child in a sulk. 

Instead of tying to make conversation with him, she puts on her favourite playlist. He doesn’t comment on her choice of music (Fleetwood Mac), but his good foot does start tapping ever so slightly when they’re approaching the hospital, which Rebecca takes as a positive sign. 

She does have to help him out of the car and into the hospital waiting room. It’s not the most pleasant experience, seeing as Robert clearly hasn’t showered for days and he’s being as awkward as humanly possible. Yes, she’d told him she wouldn’t be his crutch any more, but it was that or have him practically crawl his way into Accident and Emergency. Knowing him for the dramatic man he is, Rebecca doesn’t think it’s an exaggeration to imagine that could literally happen. 

The waiting room is fairly crowded, but thankfully there are two spare seats beside one another. Robert plonks himself gracelessly down on one, and Rebecca sits next to him. Being a Glastonbury veteran, Rebecca isn’t put off by the smell of food and general staleness lingering about Robert’s person, but it is fairly jarring considering she’s used to Robert always smelling decidedly expensive. 

She knows what it’s like to feel like that, to feel so bad you can’t even be bothered to shower. After her mum died she’d not left her bedroom for days and cried so many tears that she felt empty. She hadn’t put on a single bit of make up or brushed her hair. Whenever she saw herself in the bathroom mirror on her visits to the loo she didn’t recognise herself. She looked pale, young, ill.

She can see some of that heartbreak in Robert now, as much as it pains her to admit that. It’s a different kind of loss, the loss of a relationship, but it still hurts. 

They’ve been sitting in silence for about ten minutes when Rebecca realises Robert ought to have signed himself in. Rolling her eyes with a little sigh, she gets to her feet to do it for him. It’s not worth the meal Robert is bound to make of the journey across the room and back. 

Once she’s given the receptionist Robert’s name and explained that he may have broken his ankle, she returns to her seat, only for a man to come out of nowhere and sit down in it mere seconds before she can. 

Rebecca’s so shocked that she merely blinks, not sure what to say to that. Robert doesn’t even appear to have noticed. That, or he doesn’t care. 

And then it turns out he _has_ noticed, and apparently _does_ care. 

“Rude,” Robert murmurs. 

“Excuse me?” the man asks, looking confrontational. 

Rebecca glances between the men, but typical Robert doesn’t take the opportunity to back down. Even in this state he’s going to say his piece. 

“She’s pregnant and yer in her seat. Taking a seat from a pregnant woman. Should be ashamed…” Robert drawls loudly, apparently keen to cause trouble. 

“You’re sitting down!” the man points out. 

“And I’ve _broken my ankle,”_ Robert slurs, gesturing at his injured foot. “Stupid pillock.” 

“Woah woah woah,” Rebecca says swiftly, rushing to rectify the damage. “It’s fine. I’ll sit somewhere else.” 

But instead of flaring up in retaliation the man looks understanding. He shoots Robert a filthy glare and then gets to his feet. 

“Here you go, love,” he says kindly. “Didn’t realise you were expecting. Wasn't thinking, was I?” 

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Honestly…” 

The man is called by a nurse at that moment, which solves the problem. Robert makes some insulting comment under his breath, but thankfully nobody hears it but Rebecca. 

Rebecca sits back down in her seat, the eyes of the bored waiting room now on them both.

“When are you due?” asks a kind old woman sitting across from them, trying to make Rebecca feel more comfortable. 

“Oh, not for a while yet. I’m almost five months.” 

“Five months? You’re skinny as anything!” the woman exclaims. 

“Um, thank you?” 

“Your first?” 

Rebecca nods, unable to keep the smile from her face. 

“Congratulations. You two make a lovely looking couple-“ 

“No, we’re not together,” Robert interrupts. Apparently he’s been paying attention to the conversation, then.  A strange smile appears on his face and he lunges forward as he declares proudly: “I have a husband, you know.”

Rebecca cringes and shakes her head apologetically at the woman. Robert certainly isn’t at his most charming today. He’s also conveniently omitted to mention the fact that he and Aaron are no longer together, but Rebecca isn’t going to correct him. If he wants to live in that fantasy world then he’s more than welcome to.

“He’s very drunk and in quite a bit of pain-” 

“A _lot_ of pain,” Robert corrects her, pointing at the offending limb. “I’ve broken my ankle.”

Quite a few people are now glancing at them. In the outside world, such a declaration wouldn’t cause so much as an eyebrow raise in most people, but in a hospital waiting room the rules are different. Everyone is bored half to death and desperate for something to take their minds of their ailments. The gay drunk bloke and the pretty posh young woman beside him fit the bill perfectly.

“The baby is mine, though,” Robert continues clumsily. “She says.” 

A couple of people tut at that ungracious remark. 

“Robert, I know you’re in pain, but if you don’t control yourself I promise I will leave you here to hobble home yourself,” Rebecca hisses under her breath. “You’re making a fool of yourself.” 

“It’s complicated,” Rebecca informs the old woman, more to save her reputation than anything else. “But we’re making it work.” 

“The baby’s lucky then,” the woman remarks kindly to Rebecca. “You two still on good terms. There’s some out there don’t have that luxury. My son in law cleared off two weeks after my granddaughter was born. Spent the rest of her childhood avoiding child maintenance and making trouble for my daughter. Swine.” 

Rebecca looks politely shocked by that. 

“Ere, and if he’s got a husband that’ll be all the better,” the woman continues. “Less work for you, eh? Three parents are better than none. It’s not like it was in my day. Better, probably.” 

Rebecca turns to Robert to see his reaction to that statement, but he’s already slumped back over his chair seeming dead to the world. 

“He doesn’t look gay, mind…” 

“I’m bisexual!” Robert explodes out of nowhere, sitting up in his chair again and throwing out his hands in frustration. Apparently he’s been alert the whole time. “I like both! Why does nobody understand I like both?!” 

There’s a murmuring in the waiting room at that. Rebecca wishes the ground would open and swallow her up. 

“Robert, can you keep your voice down?” she hisses. 

“But I like Aaron best,” he adds, more to himself than to anyone else. 

At the mention of his former husband, Robert’s lower lip wobbles again and he looks ready to slip back into self-pity mode. 

Rebecca has the strongest urge to grab Robert by the shoulders and shake him out of it. 

“Robert Sugden?” comes the voice of a nurse, which thankfully saves Rebecca from further mortification. He shouldn't have been seen this quickly, which makes Rebecca wonder if the nurse has been tipped off that he's inebriated and causing trouble. They've probably decided to get him out of the way quickly so they can send him home again. 

“Here!” Robert exclaims rudely, raising his umbrella. “I’ve broken my ankle. It’s about time! I’m in agony!” 

“He’s had quite a bit to drink,” Rebecca tells the nurse, getting to her feet and straightening her mini skirt. She’s getting a fair few looks as she does so, and she feels suddenly self conscious. Before, it might have been because she’s a pretty young woman. Now it feels rather like she’s being judged for daring to be almost five months pregnant in a mini skirt and heels. 

Robert heaves himself up using his umbrella to steady him. Rebecca almost grabs his arm to help but decides against it. 

“Right, well, I’ll wait out here then, shall I?” Rebecca asks uncomfortably.

“Do what you like,” Robert remarks with a careless gesture of his hand. 

As Robert leaves the room, nurse walking alongside, half of the inhabitants look relieved, and the other half disappointed now their entertainment has gone. A couple grumble that he's one of the last on the list but being seen before everyone else. 

Rebecca perches back on the uncomfortable plastic chair and fiddles with her nails. She knows she could very well leave him there and call for Vic to come and collect him, but it doesn’t feel right. After all, Robert accompanied her to her scan the other week, and all recent alcohol and heartbreak induced insults aside, Rebecca feels she wants to repay the favour. 

“Ey,” comes the voice of the old woman once again, reaching out to pat Rebecca on the arm, sensing her unease. “I don’t know what set-up you’ve got going on with that one, but you’ve dodged a bullet there. He’s a handsome devil, but his husband’s got his work cut out for him.” 

At least three people in the waiting room nod enthusiastically. 

+++

On the drive home Robert barely says a word. The only thing he does is stop Rebecca from skipping over ‘The Chain’ which is apparently one of his favourite Fleetwood Mac songs. It’s probably unwise to let him listen to those lyrics and dwell in his misery, but Rebecca lets it go. He mouths certain portions of the words to himself in a heartbroken manner, not actually going so far as to sing them. At several moments Rebecca finds herself wanting to laugh, but she stops herself with great power of will. 

She wishes she could hate him more. She knows she should after what he’s done, but it’s impossible. He’s just a huge, screwed-up, heartbroken idiot sprawled out beside her. Rebecca can empathise with the heartbroken part. 

Chrissie would call her a doormat for this, for helping the man who’s insulted and belittled her. Rebecca calls it kindness. And well, she can’t help but feel a portion of the guilt for Robert’s current situation. She knows she’s not innocent in all this and a part of her wants to atone. Perhaps that isn’t the White way, but she doesn’t much care. She loves her family, but the way her family do things isn’t always to her taste. 

She parks outside Mill and lets Robert hobble out with his hospital-loaned crutch, making far more of a meal of the walk up the driveway than is necessary. He hasn’t broken his ankle after all, only twisted it. For the fuss he’s making you’d think he’d had a leg amputated. 

He still hasn’t thanked her, but Rebecca isn’t stupid. An apology isn’t likely to come her way and she’s not going to waste her time waiting for one. 

Still, she holds the Mill doors open for Robert as he manages to hobble inside so they don’t swing back on his injured ankle. She even takes his arm when he looks like he’s going to stumble over. 

He doesn’t deserve her kindness, but he’s going to get it anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> My feelings for Rebecca are so complex. I love her potential and I know what I want from her, but I get really frustrated with how she is written in the show a lot of the time. When it comes to her and Robert I really like their friendship dynamic but the show has sort of killed that for me. Having the ONS happen was such a terrible decision imo, but here we are. 
> 
> Anyway, have a bit of the Rebecca and Robert friendship. I've tried to make it all canon compliant within the constraints of the actual episode stuff. 
> 
> Please leave me a comment! They mean the world! Honestly!
> 
> My tumblr is claudiaboleyn.tumblr.com and my twitter is @ClaudiaBoleyn 
> 
> xxx


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